Posts Tagged ‘Turnkey Promotions’

Growing Together: TurnKey Promotions Plants Over 1,000 Trees with Carbon Neutral

Three years ago, TurnKey Promotions commenced a partnership with Carbon Neutral, a non-profit organisation that proudly restores Australia’s natural habitat through biodiverse restoration of degraded land.

Key to this partnership is a commitment from TurnKey Promotions to help “turn our emissions into trees” and contribute to local reforestation by planting one tree for every order of 50 notebooks that we receive.

Over the past three years, TurnKey Promotions clients have ordered thousands of notebooks, proudly enabling us to plant a total of 1015 trees.

More than 400 of these trees were planted in the 2023/24 financial year, marking a record contribution by TurnKey Promotions and one of our proudest accomplishments to date.

These 400 trees were among the thousands planted across 2,500 hectares by Carbon Neutral over the past twelve months, indicating strong collective supportive across the entire Australian business community for the local reforestation movement.

“The importance of biodiversity has never been more apparent and could not be achieved without the support of partners like TurnKey Promotions.”

Damian Udall (Partnerships Manager, Carbon Neutral)

TurnKey Promotions cannot thank our clients enough for being so supportive of this cause. Thanks to you, our “Giving Back” program grows every year, enabling us to give back to the community and pursue our social and environmental goals.

To learn more about our “Giving Back” program, please click here.

Promo For Good: Defending and Protecting Our Oceans

TurnKey Promotions is deeply committed to sustainability and eco-friendly practices. Our mission as a small business revolves around minimising our environmental impact while delivering meaningful marketing initiatives and high-quality promotional products.

Sea Shepard Australia is a non-profit marine conservation organisation that campaigns to defend, conserve and protect the world’s marine life and ocean eco-system. Their mission is to protect defenceless wildlife and end the destruction of habitat in the world’s oceans.

“From the gentle giants of the sea to its smallest creatures, Sea Shepherd’s mission is to protect all marine life species living in our oceans. Our campaigns have defended whales, dolphins, seals, sharks, penguins, turtles, fish, krill and aquatic birds from poaching, unsustainable fishing, habitat destruction, and exploitive captivity.”

Sea Shepard Australia

To show your support for Sea Shepard Australia, TurnKey Promotions clients are encouraged to place an order for any of three great new additions to our drinkware line-up.

For each unit ordered, fifty cents will be donated to Sea Shepard Australia to support their efforts in clearing plastic pollution from our oceans and protecting marine life. An order for 1,000 bottles or cups, for example, will result in a $500 donation to Sea Shepard Australia.

The new range consists of the Allegra Bottle (1L or 750ml). Olive Reusable Cup and Windsor Tea Infuser Bottle.


Allegra Bottle (1L or 750ml)
The Allegra features double-wall, vacuum insulation to keep drinks hot or cold for hours. Plus, this bottle will fit in most car cup holders.
Colours: Sky/Carolina Blue, Onyx/Onyx, Dove/Gunmetal, Sage/Fern, Sand/Chestnut, Blush/Rose, White

    Olive Reusable Cup (350ml)
    The double-wall Olive Reusable Cup is an aesthetically pleasing monochromatic stainless steel cup that features both a straw drinking option, as well as a regular takeaway cup drinking spout.
    Colours: Green, Pink, Brown, Blue, Black, Grey

      Windsor Tea Infuser Bottle
      The glass Windsor Tea Infuser Bottle has a huge 1L capacity fitted with a giant tea infuser and neoprene sleeve to help insulate your bottle.
      Colours: Black, Navy, Cream, Blush


      To place an order or enquire about any of these products, please contact TurnKey Promotions on 1300 153 707 or email info@turnkeypromotions.com.au.

      TurnKey Promotions Announced as 2024 NSW Business Awards Finalist

      We are excited to announce that TurnKey Promotions is a finalist in the Excellence in Micro Business category at this year’s NSW Business Awards.

      The Awards program is designed to showcase the best of the best; businesses who not only display exemplary innovation and resilience but who also drive economic growth in the region.

      This year, fifteen businesses have been named as finalists in the highly competitive Excellence in Micro Business category. A diverse array of industries are represented in the category including events, consultancy, digital marketing, civil engineering and more.

      What an honour it is to be competing against so many other outstanding, innovative local businesses, and we wish all finalists the best of luck.

      Thank you to our amazing clients, partners, and friends who have helped TurnKey Promotions reach another milestone as a business. We certainly couldn’t do it without you.

      Winners of the 2024 NSW Business Awards will be announced at a Gala Dinner on Tuesday the 18th of June 2024 at Sydney Town Hall. Stay tuned for updates!

      Look What’s New at TurnKey Promotions! Highlights from Roadshow 2024

      Autumn at TurnKey Promotions means APPA Roadshow, and this year we levelled up our trade show game by attending both Sydney and Brisbane legs of the event.

      Roadshow is the biggest exhibition in the local promotional products industry and a staple in our events calendar every year. This is where we get the chance to touch, feel, and critique hundreds of newly released products before bringing them to you, our valued clients.

      Here’s a sneak peak at the hottest new products in the industry right now:

      Which of these is is your favourite and why?

      We are loving the Rollink Flex Earth Suitcase, touted as the “world’s smallest suitcase” for its capacity to fold into an incredibly compact 5cm (9.5cm including wheels) when not in use. Wow!

      To enquire about any of the above products, please contact TurnKey Promotions at diana@turnkeypromotions.com.au.

      Merry Christmas from TurnKey Promotions

      As the year draws to a close, TurnKey Promotions would like to wish all of our clients, partners and friends a Merry Christmas.

      Thank you for the unwavering support, trust and loyalty you have shown us throughout the year. With your help, TurnKey Promotions has had one of our most successful and exciting years to date. It is your loyalty that fuels our passion and drives us to constantly innovate and strive for excellence in everything we do.

      Our office will close for the holiday break on Friday the 22nd of December 2023 and reopen on Monday the 8th of January 2024.

      We hope you have a fantastic holiday break and look forward to reconnecting in the new year!

      TurnKey Promotions Owner Elected to Serve as Director on the APPA Board

      TurnKey Promotions founder and owner Diana O’Cobhthaigh has been elected to serve as a Director on the Board of the Australasian Promotional Products Association (APPA).

      APPA is the professional association for the promotional products industry in Australia and New Zealand, and represents the interests of more than 650 businesses who distribute, supply or decorate promotional products.

      A seat on the APPA Board is a highly coveted, distinguished role, and is a testament to Diana’s standing among her peers and her professional accomplishments.

      “I believe that APPA plays a pivotal role in the growth and success of the promotional products industry and needs to be led by passionate industry professionals,” said Diana.

      “I am excited about the prospect of joining the Board to provide a fresh perspective on matters and to represent the extraordinary women who work within the industry.”

      Diana was elected to the APPA Board of Directors by way of a preferential vote among current APPA members. She will commence her first full term (three years) on Thursday the 23rd of November when the APPA Board reconvenes.

      TurnKey Promotions Wins Two Awards at the 2023 APPA Awards

      We are thrilled to announce that the team at TurnKey Promotions have been recognised for their hard work and creativity at the 2023 APPA Awards, taking home the top prize in the Business to Business and Made in Australia award categories.

      The APPA Awards, renowned for celebrating innovation, creativity, and outstanding achievements, bring together the best and brightest in our industry. The competition was fierce, with numerous exceptional finalists pushing the boundaries of what is possible. To be selected as winners amongst such remarkable talent is truly an honor.

      The Business to Business award is a testament to the exceptional quality and impact of our promotional products and services. We take great pride in our ability to deliver tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of our B2B clients, helping them enhance their brand visibility, engage with their target audience, and achieve their marketing goals.

      TurnKey Promotions received this award for our work with Entegra Signature Structures, a leading shed manufacturer in Australia, who approached our team with a brief for a unique promotional product to be gifted to some of their biggest clients. After extensive research we suggested the Meat Branding Iron as the perfect promotional gift, aligning with the livestock industry and aimed at keeping the Entegra brand in the minds of their most important clients.

      TurnKey Promotions received the Made in Australia award for our work with Rabobank Australia to design and produce custom playing cards. This award in particular means a lot to the team and highlights our efforts to source, produce, and promote promotional products that are proudly made right here in Australia.

      Thank you to both Entegra Signature Structures and Rabobank Australia for choosing TurnKey Promotions to help bring their ideas to life. We are extremely grateful for the collaborative relationships we have built and the shared vision we have with each of you. We look forward to continuing our journey with both of these valued clients to deliver extraordinary results.

      We would like to extend our sincere thanks to APPA for this incredible honor and to all our team members, clients, and partners who have played an integral part in our success. We cannot wait to see what the future holds as we continue on this remarkable journey.

      Here’s to celebrating our successes together!

      Naturally High-Tech: Revolutionising the Polo Shirt with Supplier-Partner Stencil

      For the last six years, TurnKey Promotions’ supplier-partner Stencil has led the Australian apparel market with their production of high-quality, high-tech clothing.

      Stencil is perhaps best known for its famous Cool Dry® fabric, an innovative moisture-wicking fabric that breathes like a cotton, is quick drying and has antibacterial properties, making it cool and comfortable to wear all year round.

      Over the past few years, Stencil has invested extensively in new technology to bring to market a number of groundbreaking, eco-friendly fabrics that can be found in some of TurnKey Promotion’s new ranges of polo shirts and apparel. These fabrics include:

      Stencil Clime-Ori®
      Stencil Clime-Ori® was developed by Stencil in partnership with DuPont, using DuPont’s new Sorona technology. Clime-Ori® mixes the excellence of Cool Dry® with the innovative spring-like structure of Sorona, giving Clime-Ori® a an impressive set of attributes including colourfastness and stain-resistance.

      Stencil Nano-Gear®
      Produced in both 100% cotton and poly/cotton blends, Stencil Nano-Gear® uses nano-scale polymers (engineered to attach to the individual fibres) to leave the finished garments astoundingly stain-resistant and wrinkle-free.

      Stencil Bio-Weave®
      Stencil’s newest natural fibre combines traditional techniques with high technology to create a fabric unlike any other. A close cousin of rayon and lyocell, Bio-Weave® utilizes revolutionary wood-pulp manufacturing techniques to produce a fabric that has longlasting colours, is wrinkle-free and kind to sensitive skin.


      The Sorona Polo

      This year, TurnKey Promotions introduces Stencil’s Sorona Polo– proving that scratchy, uncomfortable eco-friendly fabrics are a thing of the past.

      Comprised of an ecologically responsible plant-origin fibre, the Sorona Polo not only offers unmatched wear characteristics, but also requires 30% less energy to produce than a comparative nylon shirt. Our new Sorona Polo is also manufactured using natural fermentation in place of chemical processing, reducing its environmental impact without sacrificing quality or performance.

      The finished product is smooth, silky and available in a range of attractive colours that won’t fade with wash or wear thanks to the fabric’s inherently high UV resistance.

      To enquire about the Sorona Polo or any of Stencil’s fabrics, please contact TurnKey Promotions on 1300 153 707.

      Winners are grinners!

      We are very excited to share our latest exciting news… 

      Last week at the APPA (Australasian Promotions Products Association) industry awards night TurnKey Promotions came first place in the ‘Self Promotion’ Award category. 

      For the past three years we have been entering the awards and making finalist, but this is the first year we have taken out a first place in a category. We are ecstatic to receive this award and be recognised by the industry. This particular category had a lot of tough competition, which makes this victory even more rewarding.

      THE AWARD ENTRY CRITERIA

      To enter the award we were required to complete a written response of 300-600 words for each of the following questions, along with the inclusion of visual elements: 

      1. What was the company’s business goal and branding requirement to achieve KPI’s? Was it achieved and how did promo contribute to it being achieved?
      2. The concepts, design, creativity or development or selection of products to meet the brand or campaign requirement and marketing strategy relevance.
      3. How successful was the promotion or campaign? 

      OUR CAMPAIGN

      The campaign that we submitted was our ‘Lets Roll Into 2019’ campaign, which was rolled out from February 2019. 

      The objectives of the campaign were to: 

      • Recognise our clients and their value to our business TurnKey
      • Promotions Create an opportunity to connect with our clients. 
      • Showcase a promotional product item that was new and interesting and marketable around a theme.
      • Make the meeting a planning session for the year ahead so we can put together an activity schedule and create ongoing opportunity to touch base with our clients in the lead up to their key events. 

      The campaign

      We went for a high quality product, ‘Let’s Roll Bundleᵀᴹ, with personalisation, i.e. client initials. The classic vintage style with modern-day features, travel accessories bundle, we believed fit the brief. The significance of our gift was to associate the positive emotions of travel with TurnKey Promotions. But more importantly the gift symbolised the start of our journey in 2019. 

      THE RESULTS

      We were clear about the objective of this campaign from the beginning: To increase the value of our existing clients by 20%, which we not only achieved but exceeded. Our scorecard was derived from January to May 2018 versus 2019 sales revenue. 

      The results continue to surprise us 
      It has helped us significantly improve how we allocate internal resources to higher dollar valued clients versus lower dollar valued clients. This is a business model evolution… something we had previously realised, however this promotion pushed us into taking action. 

      Why we thought we should win

      1. We wholeheartedly believe in the power of what we do and have first handedly experienced the results through this campaign.
      2. Our clarity at the start of the campaign was fruitful in getting us to the successful result at the end. Synergistically the campaign underpinned the message of ‘planning in 2019’. 
      3. Not only did we achieve our short term goal of increasing sales revenue, but it has definitely set us up for 2019 and building on our client relationships. 
      4. Smiles and thank yous. It doesn’t feel like much, but it did take a reasonable amount of effort, particularly in respect to the personalisation and the inclusion of the activity schedule, and our clients were very appreciative. This makes working and running a business, purposeful, humbling and fun. 
      5. It’s our time to shine… for our clients! We really wanted to win this award to reinforce to our clients that they are important to us and they are partnering with a creative industry leader.
      Environmental Promotional Products

      Plastic Free July

      Welcome to plastic free July. What does that mean exactly? If you decide to take part you join other millions of people around the globe who are agreeing to reduce their plastic waste. The movement started was started in 2017 by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz (founder of the Plastic Free Foundation) and a small team in local government in Western Australia. It is now one of the most influential environmental campaigns in the world.

      To take the challenge

      Whether you are a believer in Climate change or not, 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flowing into our oceans every year from coastal regions (published by National Geographic in May 2019) is not good in anyone’s standards. From my own personal experience, on a recent trip to Ireland I witnessed the exuberant level of pollution in their beaches and bays. Something I had never seen before. The locals told us this beautiful part of the world has become an ocean waste deposit. 

      Looking at our own home front, Australia (according to War on Waste statistics), Australia is one of the most wasteful countries in the developed world. We use over 10 million plastic bags a day. 85% of soft plastic from bags and packaging ends up in landfill. 

      It’s an interesting time for all of us. The choices we make in our lives, both personally and professionally. Recently Coles launched their latest ‘little shop’ campaign, ie, plastic toys … and have received backslash from the likes of change.org – who have started a petition which says – “Are you gobsmacked that Coles has brought out a new range of ‘little shop’ toys during Plastic-free July?” 

      This is something I have thought a lot about in our business. The promotional product industry produces a lot of plastic products. It is changing. Can it change faster ? Of course. I think it comes down to education, product availability and business/brand positioning. In the last 10 years, sustainable / eco-friendly products have evolved from novel / niche to being in high demand. This growing movement has been driven by:  

      • Changing consumers attitudes: “25% of consumers are extremely concerned about plastic packaging, 42% think manufacturers should prioritise making packaging recyclable and 21% think the industry should work toward entirely plastic-free packaging” (Kantar).
      • Consumer purchase decisions are becoming more relationship / belief (2018 Edelman Earned Brand report) based than transactional. 
      • Educational programs and the rise of influencers: David Attenborough, “The War on Waste”, Leonardo Dicaprico Save the Whales 
      • Educational precincts – UTS is working on eliminating the most common single-use plastic items in their campus.
      • Businesses – Unilever’s ‘Sustainable Living’ brands accounted for 60% of growth in 2016 and grew 50% faster than the rest of the business. Lego has committed to building its toys entirely from plant-based or recycled materials by 2030. They are investing over $2.18 billion in this project. 
      • Availability of environmentally friendly products.

      Through my research over the years of environmentally friendly products, I see the trend of reverting back to ‘the way we were’. We sold ourselves the dream of fast and convenient, only to realise that it’s not good for us or the environment. So slowly, we are changing things and going back to basics. That’s why you will see promotional products that don’t feel necessarily new… but the sourcing, the materials, the logistics … has changed. Here are a few I would like to share with you: 

      WHEAT STRAW – Is the stalk left over of harvested wheat grains. Previously it was categorised as a waste product – where in some countries they would burn off the starch.  The material is now reclaimed to make wheat products. 

      BAMBOO – The fastest growing plant. It can be easily substitute all known wood applications without having to cut down entire bamboo groves or plantations. It also  continuously grows after harvest without having to re-plant it. Bamboo converts about 35% more CO2 into oxygen than a regular tree.

      RICE HUSK – A waste product with little value, so recycling will not reduce air pollution and the amount of plastic used! Biodegradable and reusable.

      GLASS – A natural choice for a clean, pure taste and offers a safe and eco-friendly alternative.

      SILICON –  Made from silica found in sand, lasts longer than plastic, both in respect to the environment and product usage. It’s high durability, makes it more ‘ocean friendly’. Silicone can take extreme variations in temperature (cold to hot) without cracking, melting or falling apart. 

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